Obama's Jobs Council Shutting Down

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Unemployment remains problematical, but that isn't stopping the White House jobs council from shutting down.

President Barack Obama created it in 2011 and filled it with prominent business leaders and economists. Its authority runs out Thursday, and the White House says it's not renewing the panel.

Instead, a White House official says the administration will focus on new ways to engage with the business community and create jobs, including expediting permits for infrastructure projects.

Obama met with the jobs council only a handful of times, most recently in February of 2012. Some Republicans say that's a sign he hasn't devoted enough attention to unemployment, a top concern for Americans.

Unemployment has dropped to 7.8 percent since Obama formed the council, but more than 12 million people are still without jobs.